5 Tips for Keeping Home Showings Clean During Messy Weather
December 17, 2020
When you’re selling a home, showings for potential buyers can be scheduled without much notice – even during the pandemic, you might only have a day or two to prepare. That’s why it makes sense to keep your house in show-ready condition throughout the sale. However, maintaining a perpetual state of perfection is tricky even in the best of times; throw in winter weather, and you’ve got a recipe for unwelcome untidiness!
To combat the sloppiest season of the year and keep your home ready for showings, the trick is to minimize the mess before it starts. Here are five tips to keep the winter weather at bay when your home is on the market:
1. Clear a path
The coldest season of the year can take many forms in Canada – sometimes it’s sloppy and rainy, other times it’s just a lot of snow. If you're selling under a blanket of 'the white stuff,' keep the bulk of it outside (rather than on your gleaming floors and carpets) by keeping your driveway and walkways shoveled and ice-free. Not only will you make it less likely for snow to be tracked indoors on boots and pantlegs, but you’ll also help keep potential buyers safe from possible slips or injuries when they view your home.
2. Put down doormats and boot trays
It’s important to keep winter messes under control at the door, before they have a chance to migrate through your home. You can achieve this by focusing on your entryways: place heavily textured mats outside every entry door, plus a large rubber-backed mat and boot tray on the inside. Mats will catch a lot of the snow and rock salt under people’s shoes, and a boot tray will contain those sock-soaking puddles we all dread! You can even place a tasteful sign inside the door requesting that shoes are removed – any chalkboard sign will do the trick.
3. Be ready to tackle the salt
Nothing can ruin the feeling of a clean home like stepping on grit around the door, so it’s best to tackle the sidewalk salt that inevitably finds its way in on a daily basis. If your vacuum cleaner is cumbersome or you store it in the deepest corner of your basement, it might be worth investing in a small handheld vacuum or a carpet sweeper; if you keep nearby it in the coat closet, it’ll be ready when you are.
4. Don’t forget pets’ feet
If you’ve got pets who love the outdoors, you won’t love the grime and smears their feet can track in, not to mention the wetness they love shaking off their fur. Arm yourself against these messes by keeping an old towel just inside the door so you can wipe off their feet and snow-covered coats before they make their way inside – just be sure to whisk it away before your scheduled showings, since no one likes the smell of a wet dog!
5. Make room for winter wear
If the weather is particularly dreadful, rain and snow can accumulate on coats and hats, which can leave a trail of drips through your home as potential buyers and their agents take the tour. In addition to you wanting to keep things spick and span (and dry), buyers may not want to wear their Canadian-winter-proof gear as they look around, so give them somewhere to hang their coats. If you have a front closet, move your family’s items to a bedroom closet so buyers will have plenty of room to hang their outerwear without touching your belongings, and leave the door open so they don’t have to touch the handles (you might also offer hand sanitizer near the door for any concerns about COVID-19). Or, install some coat hooks or a coat rack, but be sure to leave them completely clear of your winter gear so buyers feel comfortable using them.
Though selling your home in winter can be a great strategy, it can also present you with unpredictable weather that makes housekeeping a hassle. But, as they say, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” – in this case, with some foresight and a few simple investments for your entryways, you’ll keep winter messes out and make preparing for showings a breeze.
If you’re planning to sell this winter, a local Purplebricks REALTOR® can help you navigate the market with professional insight and a commitment to the health and safety of your family.Plus, you can save thousands: with our low fixed fee, we saved Canadian sellers an average of $13,500† last year, and buyers receive $2,000 cash back* when they purchase a home with one of our agents! It’s how we’re making real estate better. Call 1-855-999-9740 to learn more.
